Magic said he would give $1m to winner of All-Star dunk contest next year.
After Magic Johnson’s plea for him to make an appearance in the All-Star dunk contest next year, Miami Heat’s LeBron James says he doesn’t have a response yet.
Speaking ahead of the Heat’s game against the New York Knicks on Sunday, James told ESPN’s Lisa Salters that he hadn’t made a decision yet but is thinking about entering.
“I don’t have a response to that yet. I think about it every year. Tell him I’ll get back to him,” he told Salters.
Despite wowing crowds with his pre-game warm-up dunks, in his 10-year NBA career James has never entered the dunk contest and it appears even the prospect of winning $1m isn’t enough for him to guarantee an appearance.
The event drew criticism in Houston last month, with some questioned its relevance considering its rich history after the likes of James, Blake Griffin and Kevin Durant choose not to enter.
LeBron’s comments suggest there is a possibility the 28-year-old will feature next year, and it comes after Johnson’s plea on Friday’s edition of ESPN’s NBA Countdown.
The formers Lakers star promised to put up $1m (£665,000) to the winner to entice James to dunk, after clips of his pre-game routines went viral.
The NBA currently pays $100,000 to the winner, and $50,000 to the runner-up, but the financial benefits aside, the sight of seeing James take flight against Griffin would be a great spectacle for the fans.
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